Pete Devries

The west coast of Vancouver Island has been getting hammered with storms this season. Bringing in one system after another, forecasts can change by the hour. Photographer Marcus Paladino (@marcuspaladino ) and Pro Surfer Pete Devries (@petedevries ) have been chasing anything that looks promising. But before the wetsuit comes the approach: slippery roots, soaked granite and the roar of the Pacific. Pete moved through it all in the Konseal GTX, Beta AR and Gamma MX, staying dialled and dry before suiting up to chase the next wave.    “Our coastline is full of almosts. The what-if waves that maybe have their special day if the sand shifts just right or the swell is from the right angle. It takes a lifetime to figure out these places but for every trip we get skunked on, the chase is always worth it.” - Pete Devries 📸 @marcuspaladino

CREATURES OF HABIT by @natelav ** Premiering ** June 12 Courtenay BC at the Landmark Cinema 7pm $15 at the door June 13 Campbell River at Sessions Taphouse 7pm $15 in advance June 14th Ucluelet at Robin Vangyn/Austen Sweetin’s Boat House 6:30pm $15 at the door We’ve been working at making a film about breaking routine and trying something different for the last year and a bit. It’s funny the longer I have surfed on the west coast the more routine I have become. I guess it’s a product of time spent and other responsibilities entering my life. When I was younger and chasing the new a bit more it was fun and exciting but the skunkings add up and the pendulum swings back to the known and somewhat predictable. In this film you will find some waves you’ve probably seen and a few that have been surfed but not documented much. There is so much more out there! All you need is the right forecast, the right wind, the right tide, the right swell, the right swell direction, the right size of swell, and the right weather to get there:) Thanks to @natelav for dragging me away from the norm and into the unpredictable. This film would not have happened without him. A huge shoutout to all the supporters of the film also! Thank you for allowing us to make surf films and not just instagram reels! @mathea_olin @camrichards @reed_platenius @dimitri_poulos @sanoa_olin @ryanhuckabee1 @fred.sanfordd @andrewjacobson @discojones_ @kyle_buthman @jtaylorsmith @marcuspaladino @dennispi @tofinooceanadventures

Today is the day! Born Pacific by @natelav and @manerawatermen will be premiering on YouTube at 7am pacific time. I’ll be online to chat about the film if you have any questions. Follow the link in my bio to check it out 🤙. A huge thanks to @natelav for standing in the rain and cold filming for this one. I’m really stoked how it came out! Also to @jeremykoreski @marcuspaladino for some of the water shots in the film. To my son Asher for playing a young me:) @dennispi @markcunningham for the epic plane trip. That was definitely my favourite adventure of the film. Seeing new places and surfing somewhere new is always at the top of my list. Enjoy! #staytoasty #manerawatermen

Congratulations @petedevries , ticking off another goal of winning a Canadian National Championship in his 40s 🇨🇦 Incredibly well deserved 🏆 Pushed all the way by a strong field including runner-up @reed_platenius 📈 Pete rode a #HYFI3 #XeroFusion on the smaller days 5’7’’ x 19 1/4’’ x 2 1/4’’ x 26.1L Followed by a #Monsta for larger conditions on finals day 5’9’’ x 18 1/2’’ x 2 1/4’’ x 25.5L (he’s 5’9” & 147lbs / 67kg) Reed’s #Monsta 6’1” x 19 1/8” x 2 9/16” x 31L (he’s 6’4” & 195lbs / 88kg) #PerformerSeries 🎞️ @embaxtermedia

It’s been a personal goal of mine to win a Canadian national championship in my 40’s. As the year’s go by the younger surfers get better and better, and as any middle aged human knows athletic performance and how your body feels on a day to day basis does not go in that direction 😂😩 The past few years I’ve felt like my surfing was there but I would have a moment or two during the event where I would make a mistake, fall on a good one or not be able to find a wave. This year it all came together and low tide, onshore cox bay was kind to me:) Thank you to all the awesome crew who put on this event! @surfcanada @ripcurl_canada A big shout out to the judges, staff and sponsors! Judging is such a hard job in an opinion based sport! Thank you to all my supporters for allowing me to live this dream @arcteryx @arcteryxbc @manerawatermen @maneraamerica @zealoptics @jsgarageoceanside @jsindustries99 @stormsurfshop @beaverwax #newworldpreciousmetals

Dancing on the lip line 📷 @marcuspaladino

There’s nothing like a groomed backlit ocean 🥰 📷 @marcuspaladino

Slowing it down on the Big Baron @jsindustries99 @jsgarageoceanside 📷 @marcuspaladino

Finish with a bang 💥 #mondaynightraw @natelav

A light afternoon onshore can be so fun:) 📷 @marcuspaladino

Offshores at the home break 🌊📷 @marcuspaladino

Heading north 🌊 📷 @marcuspaladino